Sept. 20, 2017 Auburn at Tennessee
(4-3-1, 1-0-0 SEC) vs. (9-0-0, 1-0-0 SEC)
Match
| Thursday, Sept. 21 | 6 p.m. | --> |
| Auburn at Tennessee | ||
AUBURN, Ala. -- The Auburn soccer team continues the early portion of its conference schedule with a matchup against No. 21 Tennessee (9-0-0) Thursday. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT at Regal Soccer Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn.
The match will be streamed on SEC Network+ and is available on the WatchESPN app and online at WatchESPN.com.
The Tigers (4-3-1) opened SEC play with a 1-0 win against No. 22 Texas A&M last Friday night at the Auburn Soccer Complex, marking the fifth time the team opened conference play with a shutout. Thursday's match marks Auburn's fifth against a ranked opponent this season.
Starting XI
Tennessee holds a 9-11-3 advantage in the all-time series, but Auburn has claimed each of the last three contests over the previous two seasons and is 3-0-2 in the last five matchups.
The Tigers knocked the Volunteers out of the SEC Tournament a season ago and also defeated Tennessee, 3-1, the last time the two teams met in Knoxville.
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Sarah Le Beau was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week for the third time in her career after turning in her 16th career shutout versus the Aggies.
Senior defender Hannah Alspach made her way onto the TopDrawerSoccer.com National Team of the Week after scoring the game-winning goal against Texas A&M. It was Alspach's first weekly recognition and first goal of the season.
Auburn went 9-2-0 in SEC play a season ago and finished second in the league. The Tigers are 17-6-0 against conference foes over the last three seasons.
Auburn is 113-68-15 in the month of September all-time, including 2017. The Tigers have netted 375 goals (1.91 per match) and allowed 260 (1.33 per match). Over that span, Auburn has secured 70 shutouts, including 55 under head coach Karen Hoppa.
Auburn was picked to finish sixth by the SEC coaches in the annual preseason poll. The Tigers trailed Florida, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Missouri and Arkansas in the poll.
Scouting Tennessee
The Volunteers are one of two NCAA Division I programs that remain undefeated.
Seven of Tennessee's nine wins have been shutouts.
The Volunteers rank in the top-10 in the country in shutout percentage, goals against average and save percentage.
Tennessee opened SEC play with a 3-0 home win against Kentucky last Sunday.
Player to Watch: Sarah Le Beau
Le Beau is coming off arguably her best performance as a Tiger as the redshirt junior goalkeeper held Texas A&M scoreless to open SEC play, marking her 16th career shutout. After recording five saves, including three that occurred from point-blank range in the closing 20 minutes, and corralling numerous other corner kicks and crosses throughout the match Le Beau went on to be named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week for the third time in her career.
Up Next
Following their first SEC road match of 2017, the Tigers return to the Auburn Soccer Complex to host Kentucky Sunday at 2 p.m. CT.